Thursday, April 15, 2004

From the Boston Globe:
Study says drug imports may not hurt profits
Boston University researchers say they have found a big hole in the pharmaceutical industry's argument that cheap prescription imports from Canada would hurt profits that fuel critical research for new drugs.

The BU analysis, to be released today, says that drug companies may break even or actually make profits on Canadian imports because the lower-priced imports would spur new prescriptions. If true, that could leave research budgets intact.

From Bloomberg:
Pfizer, Drugmakers May Benefit From Canadian Sales, Study Says
Pfizer Inc. and other drugmakers may benefit when U.S. consumers who can't afford their medicines buy enough of their prescription drugs from Canada, where prices are lower, a Boston University analysis showed.

The increase in sales volume may offset the lower prices on drugs from Canadian pharmacies, which sell for about 40 percent less than the U.S. versions, said Alan Sager, 57, a Boston University health economist who co-wrote the analysis.

From the Detroit News:
Feds examine drug imports
With at least five state governments already providing advice to residents on how to buy cheaper prescription drugs from Canada, a federal task force examining the issue was told Wednesday the trend is unstoppable.

The Bush administration has balked at attempts to make buying drugs from Canada legal because of warnings by the pharmaceutical industry that the imported U.S.-made drugs might not be safe.

“Put some inspectors on a plane, send them to Canada and then find out what we found,” Wisconsin Gov. Jim Doyle told the task force Wednesday.

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